1. Tom notices that he is a lot more short of breath after he finishes a 200 meter sprint than when he jogs for 3 miles. He is confused because he feels as if he should feel more tired when he runs for a much longer distance. Explain to him why it makes sense that he is indeed more short of breath after running a sprint than jogging. Make sure to explain it using your scientific knowledge of cellular respiration. When you jog you need oxygen to complete cellular respiration. To perform krebs cycle you need a steady flow of oxygen but when you jog you get a steady flow of oxygen so that the krebs cycle and etc can be performed. When you sprint you use oxygen faster so you can't perform the krebs cycle or etc and it goes to lactic acid fermentation.


  1. A scientist isolates mitochondria form human cells and places them in an acid solution. The acid penetrates the intermembranous space of the mitochondria. The scientist then notices that the mitochondria start making ATP despite the fact that he is not providing any glucose for them. How is it possible that the mitochondria are still making ATP? (Think back to what an acid is, what it releases when placed in a solution and why this would make the mitochondria synthesize ATP).
The acid solution will produce H ions wih are needed for the ETC. The ions go through the proteins and then go through the ATP synthase and make ATP.


  1. Genetic testing reveals that baby Helen has a defective gene that results in the defective production of one of the proteins in the electron transport chain. Because of faulty instructions in her DNA, one of the proteins in her ETC is mis-shapen, and therefore it cannot perform its function as efficiently. Baby Helen is “failing to thrive” as she is having a hard time gaining weight and reaching developmental milestones. Using your knowledge of the ETC and its role in making ATP, explain why you think baby Helen is having the problems described above.
During the ETC, elecrtons go through special transporter proteins to produce ATP. If one of the special proteins is broken, then the chain will not be complete and it won't make ATP. Without enough ATP, many bodily funcions like growth will not occur, or occur very slowly.

  1. Compare the basic transformation of energy during photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
In photosynthesis, the solar energy goes into the chloroplast and with the solar energy, electrons go through the electron acceptor and into the ATP synthase, then the ATP is used to form glucose. In cellular respiration, glucose and oxygen go through glycolysis, the oxygen is used to make a little bit of ATP and some NADH, then in the krebs cycle, citric cid is used to form a little bit of ATP, some NADH, and some FADH2. Then in the etc, electrons go through special transporter proteins then go through a protein called ATP synthase to make a huge amount of ATP.
  1. Describe the role of ATP in biochemical reactions. What is ATP used for in your cells? How do your cells get energy out of a molecule of ATP? How is ATP recharged?
ATP is used for many functions throughout the body, to use the energy, cells use water to break the bonds of ATP and energy is released. ATP is recharched when ADP receives another phosphate to make another ATP.